Science
There is no formal science of flu pandemics. This is because the scientific issues raised by pandemics cross conventional discipline boundaries. Epidemiologists study who is most at risk of being infected and whether clusters are occurring, a precursor to pandemic onset. Diagnosis includes molecular biology, virology and immunology. Pathologists study the damage that the virus does to the human body. Prevention encompasses vaccine technology, personal protective equipment and social strategies for limiting contact among people. Treatment involves antiviral drugs and advanced medical care. Virology involves sequence analysis, cell culture experiments and animal models.GenBank sequences from pandemic (H1N1) 2009 viruses
Science related blogs:
Ferreting out the dangers of swine flu: A discussion of two animal model studies of the new H1N1 flu virus.
July 6, 2009
More evidence that the new H1N1 virus is more dangerous than seasonal flu: The new Kawaoka paper.
July 13, 2009
Down’s Syndrome – A Risk Factor for the New Flu?
July 23, 2009
Spread and incidence of pandemic flu
August 3, 2009
High incidence, low case fatality rate countries
August 4, 2009
Age Structure and Case Fatality Rate
August 10, 2009
Total Number of Expected Deaths
August 11, 2009
The Myth of the Missing Mild Cases
August 12, 2009
Guillain-Barré Syndrome and the H1N1 Vaccines
August 17, 2009
Severe Strains of H1N1?
August 29, 2009
Incidence of Death
August 29, 2009
An analysis of the ferret co-infection paper
September 1, 2009
Incidence of Death in US States
September 3, 2009
The Making of a More Lethal Pandemic Virus – What are the Odds?
September 9, 2009
Estimates of case fatality rates based on influenza-like illness are wrong
September 18, 2009
New strain of H1N1 that kills rapidly?
September 18, 2009
Will getting a seasonal vaccine make you more or less likely to get pandemic flu?
September 23, 2009
Coughing up blood
September 27, 2009
Lethal mutation observed in American cases?
September 27, 2009
Mutation(s) in the PB2 protein in the Netherlands
September 29, 2009
World conquest at 39 cents a base
October 3, 2009
Fatal cluster in Texas
October 8, 2009
Did pandemic H1N1 come from Asia?
October 13, 2009
For patients with severe flu symptoms, life is spelled E.C.M.O.
October 13, 2009
Lessons from Australia
October 15, 2009
Why are native peoples dying of pandemic flu at a greater rate?
October 18, 2009
Overestimating cases, underestimating case fatality rate
October 21, 2009
Why no large outbreaks among adults?
October 27, 2009
Another report of more virulent pandemic virus in India
October 29, 2009
Multiplying errors
October 31, 2009
Multiple infections with pandemic H1N1, implications for vaccine
November 5, 2009
Testing. 1 2 3 Testing. Have I been infected with swine flu?
November 6, 2009
How does pandemic H1N1 kill?
November 9, 2009
Pregnancy and the pandemic
November 12, 2009